IDIOT OF THE YEAR No. 2: Brett Favre

If there have been any justice on this planet, NFL Corridor of Famer Brett Favre would have been canceled way back, after two therapeutic massage therapists for the NY Jets sued him again in 2011, claiming they misplaced their jobs on account of a crude textual content message Favre despatched to one of many girls. Favre denied the allegations and the lawsuit was ultimately settled. But it surely sounds awfully acquainted to a textual content Favre allegedly despatched to a different unsuspecting Jets’ worker. The one everybody is aware of about. (That is the place we let you know that the sufferer in that unwholesome incident had by no means even MET Breff Favre earlier than he —allegedly — texted her.) However as we all the time say, professional athletes can do something to girls in the event that they’re ok on the sphere. Favre has denied any wrongdoing, each then and now.

Alas, Brett Favre was not canceled. The truth is, he was rolled out not solely as an elder statesman of the sport by the NFL, however as a celeb spokesman for corporations like Copper Match, Sensodyne, Wrangler, and Hyundai. And it’s due to that adulation regardless of alleged horrible habits that Brett Favre was in any place to do what he’s accused of doing down in Mississippi.

A part of Favre’s “aw shucks” small-town boy picture was his attachment to his dwelling state of Mississippi, the place he was born, performed his school ball, and at the moment resides. Brett Favre ain’t no sissy left coast elitist! He’s a very good ole boy from down Mississippi, goll darn it!

That common man schtick and love of his dwelling state is what makes Favre’s alleged position in diverting welfare cash from the needy in Mississippi, the poorest state within the Union by a number of completely different metrics, so galling. Right here’s what our Eric Blum needed to say in regards to the allegations towards Favre again in November:

As if Brett Favre’s blunders in (allegedly) diverting $5 million of Mississippi’s federal welfare cash to construct a brand new volleyball facility at Southern Miss wasn’t loopy sufficient, two concussion drug corporations he backed which are additionally entangled within the scandal overstated the identified effectiveness of their medicine to boost cash, in accordance with an ESPN report.

Favre, who was paid over $138 million in his NFL profession, was additionally funneled $1.1 million to advertise a state initiative, a portion of the $77 million in misspent welfare funds, for speeches that he by no means delivered. These funds have been reportedly a backchannel to his volleyball area mission. An audit launched in 2020 stated that New’s Mississippi Group Training Heart paid Favre Enterprises $500,000 in December 2017 and $600,000 in June 2018 to make speeches for a minimum of three occasions. In 2020, Favre was ordered to repay the funds, however nonetheless owes almost $228,000 in curiosity.

Favre has stated he was unaware the funds directed to him for his speeches have been welfare-designated funds.

If the odious allegations are true, they’ll’t be understood with out mentioning that lower than two % of those that apply for welfare in Mississippi really get it, the bottom acceptance charge within the nation. So, poorest state within the county + lowest welfare acceptance charge = a complete lot of people that wanted that cash rather more than the College of Southern Mississippi’s volleyball staff did.

Favre has denied the allegations and blamed the media, saying in a press release to Fox Information (in fact), “I’ve achieved nothing improper, and it’s previous time to set the report straight. Nobody ever advised me, and I didn’t know, that funds designated for welfare recipients have been going to the College or me. I attempted to assist my alma mater USM, a public Mississippi state college, elevate funds for a wellness heart. My aim was and all the time will likely be to enhance the athletic services at my college.”

That may be a way more plausible argument had the Mississippi Free Press not launched textual content messages from Favre to non-profit founder Nancy New, who has since pled responsible to bribery of a public official, fraud towards the federal government, and wire fraud, asking if there was any manner the media might learn the way the place the diverted funds got here from. Good pondering, Brett.

Your entire story is lengthy and horrible and devastatingly unhappy for needy households in Mississippi. However Brett Favre has been horrible for a very long time. Unhappy it took sports activities followers this lengthy to determine that out.